A Reddit user on r/mildlyinfuriating showed photos of what just one person's laziness can do to the environment.
This subreddit for unhappy Redditors sees frequent posts about trash being left where it doesn't belong. Some are minor, but in this case, the original poster said their neighbor made a huge mess.
"My neighbors keep dumping all their construction trash in the creek between our yards, which is home to a bunch of wildlife," the Redditor wrote.
They then shared a photo of the results. The photo showed dozens of wooden boards with nails sticking out of them, along with a floating sheet of PolyPro insulation, all drifting in the green water of the creek. Other trash, like a coffee cup, was also visible in the water.
In the background, piled debris and an overflowing trash can confirmed that the neighbor had a habit of this kind of neglect.
"Man, what disgusting people," said one commenter. "If they have kids, I feel sorry for them."
Other users offered suggestions for getting the trash in the creek taken care of.
"Dumping in a wetlands is very f***ing illegal in the U.S.," said one Redditor.
Another commenter advised, "This is definitely illegal and worth reporting."
That conclusion surprised the original poster. "I just assumed it was their property and that nothing could really be done," they said.
"Oh yeah, fines for this s*** can start small for very minor things and quite literally go up well into the tens of thousands of dollars," said another user. "They don't mess around when it comes to wetlands, usually." They also shared the example of a friend who dumped sand at the edge of a pond to create a private beach. "Dude got fined $10,000."
Unfortunately, a recent Supreme Court decision has narrowed the scope of the Clean Water Act. However, many bodies of water, including creeks, are still legally protected by the EPA.
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